May Is July
by Quig Alchemist
Summary: Vash and Meryl have a daughter but then Meryl dies.Vash decides to leave and their child grows up with her Aunt Mil. The day before the anniversary of Lost July and the girl's 16th birthday, Millie tells her the truth. She then sets out to find her father
1. Chapter 1

I don't own any Trigun stuffies!!! Enjoy it anyway!

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Chapter 1

The beautiful woman with dark raven hair sat, softly singing to the tiny blonde infant cradled in her arms. She looked up at the man standing beside her, as their child giggled. Vash bent over and kissed Meryl lightly, immediately followed by another kiss atop the baby's head. Both of the proud parents smiled, happier than any one person on the entire planet of Gunsmoke. However, their moment of true love and peace couldn't last forever.

Around two weeks later the windows of their small home shattered. The smell of smoke from the rapid machine gun fire hung heavy in the air, choking their screams. Millie covered her head, desperately trying to escape the onslaught of gunfire. Meryl crawled across the floor, carefully passing the child to her frightened companion.

"Go! Hide! Don't let her get hurt!" Meryl shouted over the screaming of the hot lead that pierced the furniture. Millie nodded, and scrambled to the closet, locking herself and the baby within safely.

The determined mother quickly retrieved her cape of derringers and moved towards the man with the silver revolver. Vash was making short work of stalking out the assassin, peeking around the windowsill. He caught a glimpse of Meryl coming to his aid and his heart leapt into his throat.

"No!" Vash yelled, throwing up a hand for her to go back. "Leave this to me! Go hide with Millie!" Meryl just shook her head and gasped, covering her ears as the vase on the table shattered from another wave of bullets.

Vash and Meryl moved quickly across the house, feeling the bullets rip through the thin walls inches behind them. They dove behind an over-turned table, hoping to avoid the last wave, but the girl didn't get that lucky.

Meryl screamed as she fell to the wooded floor, collapsing to her knees.

"Meryl!" Vash shouted and veered back to help the fallen girl. He quickly grabbed her and dragged her behind the safety of the couch. As he held the woman in his arms he instantly noticed a steady stream of blood flowing from her chest. At least three bullets had embedded themselves into her torso.

"Vash…" Meryl called out to him weakly, as her movement lessened in his arms.

"No!" He screamed through clenched teeth and pulled her to his chest, shaking. Tears began to smother his words, as he witnessed the light leave her deep violet eyes.

"Take care of Rem…" Meryl whispered softly, as her small hand slipped through Vash's fingertips. Then her breath ceased a moment later and she died there in his arms. Vash shook, sobbing, and held Meryl tightly in a final embrace. Bullets whizzed past his face, licking his cheeks with cuts, but in that last minute, Vash was cold and completely alone, no longer able to care.

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I know this is _really _sad and depressing but it gets better, I promise. Please continue as this was just a background ish thing/prologue. More to come soon!

-Quig-


	2. Chapter 2

Here's chapter two. It's much happier and takes place around 16 years later. Enjoy!

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Chapter 2

Rem awoke from the same odd reoccurring dream, her eyes wide in panic. In her dreams, the girl was surrounded by thousands of glowing white feathers that almost seemed to suffocate her. A sinister smile's image was burned into brain and made her blood turn icy. She would always wake with a feeling of two clammy hands at her throat, but the worst thing about the entire sequence was that she couldn't explain any of it. All she could do was shrug her shoulders in response, content with the fact that it was just a meaningless dream.

Rem stretched and opened the curtains on the window, letting the bright sunlight fill the room. She smiled, always happy to see the sun as bright as her golden blonde hair.

"Aunt Millie!" Rem yawned, scratching her head. She bounced merrily on her bare feet down the stairs, full of energy on this brand new day.

"Yes Rem?" An equally happy voice called from down the hall. The faint sizzle of bacon came from the kitchen; it smelled wonderful as well.

"You know what tomorrow is?" Rem sang happily, as she grabbed the pitcher of fresh orange juice and poured herself a glass. Millie smiled at the young girl over her shoulder and flipped a piece of bacon in the skillet.

"Of course! It's your birthday!" Millie smiled again and lifted the frying pan off the stovetop. She spun around and hugged Rem tightly with her free arm. "Sixteen already…wow. It seems like only yesterday when your father…" Her voice trailed off, lost in the moment, but she quickly cleared her throat. "Who wants bacon?"

"My father what?" Rem asked, pressing the issue. Her curiosity was over flowing from being restrained for so long. Millie stared down at the yellowed floor tiles, unusually quiet. She wasn't nearly as perky as she normally was, which increased the young girl's curiosity.

"It's nothing…" Millie concluded with a soft sigh, as she placed the plate full of crispy bacon on the tabletop. She clasped her hands and opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by a sudden radio broadcast.

"Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of Lost July. When Vash the Stampede single handedly destroyed everything in his path, leaving the entire town as a pile of hopeless rubble. Countless people were killed. We remember them in all in a moment of silence." The announcer's line went dead as almost all of Gunsmoke mourned the loss of July. Millie, on the other hand, intensely glared at the boxy radio and clenched her hand into a quaking fist. Rem failed to notice her aunt's anger and continued to fill her plate with breakfast.

"What kind of man can do such a heartless, awful thing?" Rem commented casually, her mouth already packed full with scrambled eggs. "He deserves to be wanted! I hope he is caught! It's amazing he's got by this long, right Aunt Mil? Aunt Mil?" Rem looked up, and saw her Aunt crying softly. "Aunt Mil!" The young girl sprung up suddenly and patted Millie's shoulder gently. "What's the matter?"

"There's something you should know…" Millie wiped her eyes with a shaking fist.

"What is it?"

"Your father…and Vash the Stampede…are one in the same." The woman said quietly, as her eyes darted away from Rem's confused gaze.

"What? No!" Rem shouted, sharply taking a step back. "But…you said my father was indescribably kind and loving man! He _can't _be that murderer Vash the Stampede!"

"He's not!" Millie voice had reached a shout. "He is your father, but he is _definitely _not a murderer! He just seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, always getting blamed for others' crimes. People judge him immediately without even giving him a chance! It's not fair!" She had ended with tears welling in her eyes, but took a deep breath to hold them back. She continued quietly a second later, controlling herself. "Meryl and I were assigned around twenty years ago to keep a 24-hour surveillance on this 'humanoid typhoon', and at the time, we thought the same condemning facts as everyone else still does. Over time we knew the truth." Rem focused all of attention to Millie, as her bright violet eyes soaked in every word. "Sometime after that, it was quite obvious really, he and your mother hit it off really well, and they had you!"

"I want to meet him!" Rem burst out suddenly, nearly knocking over her glass of orange juice. Once Millie got over the sudden shock of the outburst, she smiled gently and touched the side of Rem's cheek. She looked down at the girl proudly, and then scurried off a moment later to the cabinet. She swung the wooded doors open and removed two objects that were carefully wrapped in gray cloth. Millie tenderly uncovered twin revolvers; one was coal black and the other rainstorm silver.

"I knew you'd say that!" Millie said with a smile, her joyous personality returning. She cradled the two weapons in her arms. "These were your father and your uncle's guns." Rem stared at them thoughtfully, running a curious finger across their sleek surface.

"How do I find him? How will I know it's really him?"

"First off, Mr. Vash is an extremely light hearted man. He's all smiles and has a great sense of humor. He's tall and blonde with spikey hair. He has big blue eyes, oh, and how could I forget? Mr. Vash always wears a bright red coat and an occasional pair of yellow glasses!" Millie grinned as Rem laughed at the mental image of her father and stared out the window. Sure she had heard descriptions of the 60 billion double dollar man, but never had they sounded so comical!

"So he's how old now, 40?" Rem asked in a daze, her hand under her chin. Millie scratched her head thoughtfully for some sort of answer.

"I guess so, but the thing is…he never really seemed to change. Mr. Vash always looked as young as the day we first met!"

"One thing still bothers me…"

"What's that?"

"I know you told me my dad wasn't a murderer, but nobody gets wanted without a good reason. He did carry a weapon after all! It couldn't have all been self-defense. Are you sure he didn't kill anyone? Even if it was an accident?" Millie bit her lip at Rem's question, unsure of how to answer. She remembered only one time Vash actually killed, but if he hadn't, that blue haired demon would have killed she and Meryl instead. She decided not to speak of it.

"No." Millie said, lightly placing the revolvers in her niece's arms. "He is and always has been a pacifist. Even though death would follow him everywhere, he would do his best to resolve each conflict with his motto, 'love and peace'! As far as I know, Mr. Vash is innocent."

"I understand."

"I hope so." Millie looked down at Rem who showed a confident smile that seemed more than a little familiar. The young girl took a gentle hand and carefully recovered the guns with the gray cloth.

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Go Rem! I hope you read and review! The next chapter has Vash creeping back into the picture as well!

-Quig-


	3. Chapter 3

Hey, thanks for all those who are reviewing this story! I hope you will continue to read! Here's chapter three!

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Chapter 3

After sixteen lonely years, Vash the Stampede's life still hadn't improved much. He was constantly on the run, and somehow he still managed time for a quick donut stop. Relentless assassins chased him night and day, hungry for the big bounty on his head. He still looked like a careless 25-year old, but in his heart he could feel his age reaching 175. Vash decided he was getting to old to keep running like this.

Vash finally stopped, taking a deep breath behind a dusty building. He gazed up at the endless blue sky and didn't think of much in particular. Mostly food. His aquamarine eyes glittered softly, as he smiled and entered one of the many saloons.

The tall man casually walked past the tables, and felt more than one unfriendly stare on the back of his neck. He hastened his steps and settled himself on a barstool. He was just about to order a nice frosty mug of beer, but his mouth hung open wordlessly when he heard a report of the anniversary of Lost July echo throughout the room. He jumped off his barstool and decided it was time to leave. He would get a drink later; anything was better than having his nose shoved into a gun barrel.

Vash exited the saloon, as a slight breeze ruffled the blonde spikes of his hair. He dug his hand into his pocket and pushed a pair of yellow tinted shades up on his nose. _July…_He mused to himself, looking out across the colorless desert sand. _That means…tomorrow is Rem's birthday as well. How old is she now? Sixteen? Wow. _The gunman began to trudge along the well-traveled path alone with his thoughts, unsure of where to go next.

"Bye Aunt Mil!" Rem called, slinging a carefully packed bag over her shoulder. Millie had made Rem put just about everything in that little bag, down to the very last detail, just as any good aunt would. She had made special care to wrap the two revolvers deep within as well.

"Good bye Rem!" Millie shouted, tearfully waving at her young niece. Rem walked over to a Thomas and mounted the beast with ease. She waved again to the woman on the ground, and set a course for the city of December.

As Rem rode off on the back of the particularly hairy animal, Millie could see Meryl beaming with pleasure instead of her lovely daughter. Even the way see rode was the same, and Millie realized how much she really missed her best friend at that moment. The thought brought more than one tear to her eye as she watched the last person she loved disappear from her life.

Vash's feet began to drag the ground and his tongue lolled out of the side of his mouth, desperate for water. He'd had been traveling the perilous desert sand for hours, and by this time, his thirst was almost more than he could take.

"Water…" Vash gasped as he finally made it into the outskirts of December. He ignored all others, not caring what curious looks he received from them in the street, as he made his way to the community well near the center of town. "Need…water…" He moaned again, but then he spotted the rocky savior and his face lit up with a smile. He sprinted to the well and he practically threw himself over the side to get to the bucket's rope. He pulled at it desperately and nearly topped over into the liquid at the bottom as the bucket reached the top. He began to cup his hands to his lips, slurping loudly, alerting many around him. Though Vash didn't care; he was alive again!

Then a bullet nicked the top of his right ear. He winced slightly and froze.

"Turn around you!" A gruff man's voice called out from behind him. Vash's attention was now on the impending danger, as he slowly raised his hands in the air, turning slowly around to face the shooter. He looked around nervously, and innocently shrugged his shoulders.

"Is there a problem? I was just thirsty…" Vash tried to reason, gesturing with his raised hands to the well beside him. His chin dripped, teasing his remaining thirst.

"You are a threat to this town. Leave now. I demand that you turn around and go strait back to wherever you came from." The short, grisly sheriff insisted, cocking his pistol in the process.

Vash, on the other hand, simply took another second to stare at the guy dumbly. He then broke off into a dead run in the opposite direction.

'Stop!' and 'After him!' were only a few of the things Vash heard as he made tracks as fast as humanly possible into a side alleyway. Another bullet whizzed past the bridge of his nose and he yipped briefly, just as he turned another corner. _Why does this always have to happen to me?_

Rem squinted at the nearing town as she urged her tired Thomas to go faster. She could here the angry screams of men followed by rounds of gunshots up ahead.

"Faster!" She said, and swiftly kicked the Thomas' side. It made a snorting sound and gradually picked up its pace.

"Get him! I think he went that way!" Rem could hear the irate shouts and she smiled as she rode into town. She grabbed her pack with a protective hand and dismounted the Thomas, breaking into a run.

Rem sprinted off into a small alley, hoping it was a shortcut to the action. She could hear the voices just on the other side of the buildings before her; she knew she had to be getting close.

As she neared the first turn of the alleyway, Rem heard the rapid patter of footsteps coming toward her. She stopped suddenly, and held her pack securely.

A young, rather attractive blonde man with a distressed look on his face rushed around the corner, looking back frantically. He didn't pat attention to where he was going until the last second, and nearly crashed into Rem. She saw his eyes grow wide and he stammered out a single word.

"Meryl?"

When Vash turned the corner his brain was intensely focused on how to lose the men hot on his trail. He checked behind, glancing over his shoulder, as he slid around the last turn. He then looked up and saw a beautiful blonde woman before him, causing him to skid to a halt.

Vash didn't pay attention to her blonde hair though; what he noticed were her eyes. Only one person in the world had those deep violet eyes that could pierce his soul in an instant, and he knew that person to be dead. He had buried her himself.

"Meryl?" He gaped, unbelieving. Vash blinked several times, as his blue eyes grew wide. This girl before him had her eyes and face, but instead of raven hair her hair was blonde…just like him.

There was a long awkward silence between them and all other things were lost from thought. Vash looked into this girl's eyes, and he could feel all his compressed emotions spilling from him.

"That was my mother's name." She whispered quietly, and broke eye contact. Her gaze became fixed on her shoes and the dirt that covered them. Vash lightly grabbed her chin and looked sharply into her violet eyes once again, just to be sure what he saw was the truth. He could see Meryl smiling at him from within their daughter.

"Tomorrow's your sixteenth birthday isn't?" Vash asked with a subtle smile. Rem nodded in silence. He then pulled her to his chest in a strong hug. "I have not forgotten about you…" Vash said softly, as tears began to pour down his cheeks. "Rem."

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Aww! Seriously an 'aw' moment here. Anywayz, the next chapter should be up soon and I hope you'll review and tell me what you like! I always like to hear from my readers!

-Quig-


	4. Chapter 4

Hey, sorry it took so long for this chapter to get up! I was really busy! I hope you'll still read! Here's chapter four!

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Chapter 4

"There he is!" An angry voice shouted, as another bullet zipped by dangerously close to Rem, slicing a tear in her pinkish t-shirt's sleeve.

"Come on!" Vash exclaimed, grabbing her arm urgently. _I just found you! There's no way I'm going to let you get taken away this easily! _He thought, as Rem hesitated for a moment. He looked at her anxiously, not wanting to have her to be there an instant longer, but then she dug through her pack with blazing speed, almost as if it were a quick draw. "What…?" Vash began, but stopped short when she hastily thrust his familiar silver revolver into his hand.

"No we go!" Rem shouted, grasping her father's hand as she began to run. Vash glanced down into the pack just before it was zipped, as it concealed a clear look of a nearly identical black gun.

The two ran side by side, the wind rushing against them. Rem looked over to her dad, a determined look brewing on his face, and she chuckled under her breath. She looked forward once again and thought for a moment. _Just this morning I had no idea who my dad really was…but now I'm running beside him from bounty hunters! Imagine! The 60,000,000,000 double dollar man is _my _father! _

They were nearing the end of the narrow alleyway leading into the main street. The two blondes needed to think of something fast. The assassins were in hot pursuit and would catch up at any moment.

A door on the right caught Rem's eye in a flash, and she suddenly veered towards it.

"In here!" She exclaimed, pulling Vash in directly behind her. She slammed the grimy door as soon as both Stampedes had safely slipped inside.

Vash flattened himself against a cracking wall, putting his finger to his lips. Rem did the same in response, and both listened intently. A moment later the rush of heavy footsteps from many men passed by. They held their breath, praying not to be discovered.

After a minute of tense silence, Vash and Rem exhaled a sigh of relief.

"I guess we lost them." Rem said, glancing to her dad quietly. Vash's heart was just starting to slow; his breathing also seemed not to be as shallow, or as pained.

"They've been chasing me for almost 20 years now, and my heart still beats like a wild rabbit!" Vash grinned and both laughed softly. He sat down on the floor a moment, attempting to gain a little rest while he could. "Truth is," He began again, his tone becoming slightly more serious. "I was more scared than I have ever been in my entire life. Not for myself of course, but for you. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you…" Rem stared down at her toes, not sure how to respond. She decided it was best to change topics, so she weighed her next words carefully.

"You still look 25…Aunt Mil said you would look at least 40 or so by now. I was thinking the same thing." Rem said gently, as Vash bit his lip. He looked down as well with an uncertainty not normally seen, and began to think to himself. _Meryl probably never told Millie about who I really am…_what _I really am…_

"I guess I'm just blessed!" He concluded aloud and smiled again. He stretched his arms over his head, and looked up at Rem lovingly. "You know…You're very beautiful. You look just like your mother…with the exception of the hair of course." He painted yet another one of his goofy grins across his face and pointed to his crown of golden yellow spikes. Rem smirked slightly, and balled her hand into a fist before Vash's face.

"If you weren't my dad, I would have just clobbered you."

Rem cautiously peeked out a dusty window, gently pulling the curtains apart. She looked from side to side, not seeing anyone.

"The coast's clear." She announced softly, and cracked the door open. She glanced back to Vash, as he hadn't moved an inch and sat perfectly still. He was holding his right side with a pained look on his face. "Dad?" Vash peered up at her quickly, and suddenly jumped up, wiping his hands against his coat nervously. He ran to her side, exiting the room first with a slight smile.

"Let's go!" He said briefly, and the two walked out into the street. Vash hid his weapon, depositing it under the folds of his red coat safely.

They arrived at Rem's Thomas that was about a block away, as they both figured it would be better to leave to another town that wasn't so bent on 'killing Vash'.

Vash mounted the animal, strapping Rem's pack on its back securely. He extended a hand towards his daughter, helping her up, and in no time at all, Rem and Vash the Stampede were riding to their new destination: May City.

Vash and Rem spoke light heartedly to on another, mildly jouncing up and down on the Thomas' back. Rem's blue-jeaned knees hugged its sides tightly, as her light red, almost pink colored t-shirt fluttered in the passing breeze. Vash wore his crooked-frame glasses and, as always, his crimson coat.

Rem asked all about Meryl, her questions pouring out from her mouth uncontrollably. She wondered how she and Vash had met, and he smiled, recounting her reaction to his personality. He explained that Meryl had actually hated him in the very beginning, not even believing that he was the famous Humanoid Typhoon. It got so bad that she had began to question her job to the point of quitting. As the two were together more and more, Meryl grew a soft spot somewhere for Vash deep inside, and began to love him even after all the stupid things he did. Rem couldn't help but laugh as her dad reminisced.

"How did you get such a large bounty on your head?" Rem asked quietly, still recovering from laughing. "July, right? What happened there anyway?" Vash remained silent, and she bit her lip, knowing she might have overstepped her boundaries a little.

He then cleared his throat, changing subject.

"So, do you like donuts?" Vash inquired, glancing back at her with a hungry glint in his eye.

"Yeah! They're great!" Rem replied chuckling, catching the unspoken hint.

"You really _are _my daughter!" They both smiled again, but Rem couldn't escape an uneasy feeling. _He's still hiding something…_

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Wee! What a pair! Chapter 5 will be up as soon as possible! Thanks for reading, now all you have to do is review! Till next time…

-Quig-


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The moons began to crest the black, star-filled sky. Rem clung to Vash, her arms tightly wrapped around his waist. She had fallen to sleep, and it was necessary to hang on, so not to tumble off into a sea of sand.

Vash yawned, struggling to stay awake. _No, can't fall asleep…_He thought desperately, blinking furiously. His head dropped a couple times, but he shook his head regardless.

All this was a futile effort, as Vash was out a minute later, sawing logs, as he let the Thomas' reins slip through his fingers. Luckily, the beast remained true to the path and no damage was done.

There is a man laughing manically. The sound of it makes her stomach turn and wash her face a creamy white. The same mass of feathers suffocates her from before, as two guns glow, blinding her once again. They are the colors of silver and coal. She has seen this all before.

The man's silhouette gleams before her, urging her with two small words she had never heard: "Use it…" He whispers, as it echoes through her mind. His platinum blonde hair shone brightly, its brilliance only surpassed by his hate filled eyes.

A pair of cold hands grip and close around her throat, constricting a scream in the dark…

Rem woke with a start, leaning against Vash. The Thomas continued to plod along the desert sand, as she unclasped her hands around his waist and shivered.

"Dad." She said, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. Vash's eyes remained closed as he snored softly. "Dad! Wake up!" She said a bit louder, shaking him. He sat, unchanging, a little drool hanging from his lower lip. "Vash!"

"Gah!" Vash shouted suddenly, as he tumbled off the Thomas into a pile of sand headfirst. Rem yanked back on the reins and turned the animal around quickly.

"Dad!" She called, extending a hand down to the sand-covered outlaw. Vash looked around, rather aggravated, and grumbled after being disturbed. He grasped her hand and steadily stood on two feet. She helped him back on the Thomas and they rode only a few minutes more.

"I don't have a clue it we're going in the right direction." Vash admitted sheepishly, stopping, as he gazed at the sky. The stars were now concealed behind a thick gray fog. "I guess we'll just have to start again at morning." He shrugged his shoulders, and both slid from the beast's backside.

Vash and Rem settled themselves next to the warm-bodied Thomas, sitting close to one another. They were both huddled under the blanket, shivering slightly. _It's surprising how cold the desert can be in the dead hours of night. _Rem thought, as she nodded off beside her father into sleep.

"I've found her." A shadowy voice said. "At last." He laughed darkly, his voice echoing in the blackness. "She might be half wretched spider, but she can still wield our power." His smile glowed with an evil sheen. "Things will change quiet soon my brother…"

Vash's eyes snapped open, half expecting his twin to be standing before him.

"Knives…" Vash whispered, rubbing his throbbing temple. "Leave her alone." His eyes immediately flashed to his sleeping offspring protectively. Rem was snuggled up next to him. She was still safe.

Vash let out a sigh of relief, and leaned back against the Thomas. He reached over and brushed a stray hair from the girl's face lovingly. Rem seemed to smile in her sleep. _Do you really have our power? _Vash shook his head again, dismissing the idea and went back to sleep.

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I know this seemed like an in between type of chapter, but the dreams were important foreshadowing…((doesn't need to pay as much attention to English class))

Anyway, hope you are enjoying and please review too! Next chapter up soon!


	6. Chapter 6

Yeah! Chapter 6 is up! Enjoy!

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Chapter 6

The following morning, the two rose with the brilliant sunrise. Vash stirred before his daughter, and began shouting to wake her abruptly.

"Happy Birthday Rem!" He jumped to his feet as Rem smiled in response. She stood as well with as slight yawn and hugged her father tightly. She squeezed him like anyone would normally, but then Vash began to noticeably wince from her pressure around his waist. Rem looked to him quizzically.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing…" He tried to assure her by taking a step forward, but stopped, clutching his side with gritted teeth.

"Dad, seriously." Rem said, her tone changing dramatically to concern. She grabbed his hand away from his coat. She looked down at it curiously, and saw blood thinly layering his fingertips. "Dad!"

"Well I…you know yesterday…" Vash scratched his head uncertainly with a trace of a guilty smile. "When we were running…one of the bullets…kind of got me." He chuckled softly and grinned.

"It's not funny." Rem said flatly, looking him strait in the eye. She didn't waste another second, and hastily unbuttoned the front of his crimson coat.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She scolded, as she located the deep wound on his left side. It was much worse than she thought. Blood caked the edges of his shirt, staining it a dark red, and ran over his uncovered skin.

"I didn't think it was that bad…" Vash mumbled. _She sounds just like Meryl used to…_Rem ripped off strips of cloth from her sleeves, using them for makeshift bandages. She gently wrapped them around his torso, thoroughly covering the injury.

"There. Happy Birthday to me!" Rem said sarcastically, as she patted Vash's shoulder with a smile.

A minute or so later, the two hopped back on the Thomas, packed their stuff, and were well on their way.

May City was just beginning to appear no the horizon of the midday sun. The city looked small, but as they rode closer, it grew tremendously in size.

"Hey Dad, why did you name me Rem?" She asked randomly, as she gazed up to the looming sky overhead.

"Well," Vash began, pointing his index finger upward to space. "You see, my brother and I never knew out real parents." He watched a cloud pass by briefly and continued. "There was this on woman named Rem Saverem, I guess you could say she was our foster mother that we both loved very much. She cared for us like she would her own children, and meant everything to me." He paused for moment, taking a deep breath before going on. "But then…she died. She was trying to save us and everyone else as well…" Rem looked down to the dry ground sadly, almost in shock. "So I guess by naming you after her, I'm honoring her name."

Around thirty minutes later, the Stampede and his offspring arrived in the heart of May City. They rode slowly across the dusty street, receiving several strange looks, none of which seemed very friendly. Though, this was not an abnormal thing for the outlaw, so they ignored it.

Vash then pointed out a quaint little donut shop a little ways down the road. Rem smiled as the two went inside and chose a table next to a broad window. They sat down with a starved glint in their eyes as a server scurried up to the table, a pad of paper in his hand.

"What'll it be?" The young brunette man asked smoothly, winking at Rem.

"Two dozen donuts please!" Vash ordered with a grin, not noticing the waiter's avid looks to his daughter. "Today's her birthday!"

"Birthday eh?" Rem nodded, fluttering her sparkling violet eyes. "Well, how bout we go celebrate?" He winked again at her and rolled out his neck. Then the man made a quick, unsure glance to Vash, nearly forgetting he was there. "You and your lovely girlfriend of course!"

Vash's eyebrow twitched, as his face fell into a look only a father can achieve.

"This is my daughter." He said in a solid, over-protective father-like tone. His eyes blazed a dangerous blue, serving as more than a warning. The waiter jumped back, instantly fearing pain of death. At least he wasn't aware of this being the famous Humanoid Typhoon; he might have wet his pants.

"T-two dozen donuts coming right up!" The frightened server stuttered and sprinted away to the kitchen. He didn't return on the simple excuse that he needed a 'coffee break'.

Rem was blushing slightly afterwards, as Vash turned to her and smiled again.

Several minutes later, a different server arrived at their table, a girl this time, and placed a pile of donuts on the table without a word. There was a silence as the two blondes drooled over the sugary treats stacked high.

"You pick first Birthday Girl!" Vash offered cheerfully.

"Okay." Rem tentatively picked up a glazed pastry and took a small bite. "It's…delicious!" That broke the ice. Both Vash and Rem then began to eat to their hearts content.

As they munched, both spoke happily about Rem's life over the past sixteen years. She told him of her and her Aunt Millie's simple, quiet life at home. Nothing much had happened back then, but as Millie had to leave her young niece alone to work during the day, there became a need for her to protect herself. Millie had then taught Rem to use a gun.

Vash frowned slightly to this, not really fond of the idea of his only little girl becoming a killer like him.

"Well, I guess that could be a handy skill with me around." He wasn't necessarily making a joke, but merely speaking the truth.

He picked up another donut from the crumb-encrusted plate, and brought it to his lips with a satisfied smile. As he opened his mouth, it watered, awaiting yet another savory morsel, but in an instant, the donut disappeared.

Vash's fingers were smoking where the pastry had been a second before. A bullet appeared to have come from his right and had knocked the donut from his grip. He hesitantly glanced over to the window, and his nose collided with a gun barrel.

"Oh crap." Vash said simply, his eye twitching. The man pointing the revolver at him almost looked familiar, but the assassin disappeared from view a moment later before he could catch a good look.

Rem had cut the stranger's legs out from under him with a swift kick to the back of his knees. She sprung up and ran out the door into the street.

Vash had frozen to his chair, possibly in shock, as he saw his daughter disappear through the still swinging door. He shook his head roughly and slammed ten double dollars down on the tabletop. He scooped up Rem's pack along the way, and seconds later, was outside the shop.

"Rem!" The gunman shouted and ran up beside her. He handed her the pack and drew his silver weapon from beneath his coat. "You said you know how to use a gun right?" She nodded sharply. "Get out the black one!" Vash cocked the hammer on his gun and turned as the two began to run.

Rem saw the same man clambering out of the donut shop window that had previously held her father at gunpoint. Her vibrant eyes narrowed furiously, as she took careful aim.

Vash then heard Rem's agonizing screams fill the air.

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Oh, cliffhanger! (I'm famous for those.) Please review! Hope you'll continue to see the end! (So close! Well, I think there's 9 chapters total but pretty close anyway!)


	7. Chapter 7

Well, I know it's been a week since I could update…sorry about that. Mainly Cathy the Reader and Blue-Souled Priestess. You guys rock. Thanks for the read and reviews! My grandfather passed away, and well…it's been hard. Hope you'll enjoy this one just as much as the previous chapters!

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Chapter 7

"Rem!" Vash screamed as he turned back to his daughter. His eyes grew wide, his expression horrorstruck at her cries.

"Dad…what's happening to me?" Rem gasped painfully. Her right arm was now completely emerged in snow white feathers that glowed softly. They stretched up her entire forearm and past her elbow. The gun she was holding was now projecting a radiant bluish color, which also seemed to be growing larger with every moment.

Another wave of pain passed through the young blonde girl and she screamed again. Her big scared eyes darted wildly in every direction. Rem seemed to be searching every thought for some sort of truth or at least an escape to this horrible nightmare, but could find no hope.

Vash knelt down quickly and looked straight into his daughter's eyes, trying to calm her. He placed a caring hand on her opposite shoulder and opened his mouth to speak.

"You shouldn't have told her to use the gun, Vash." A dark gravelly voice interrupted before he could speak. The owner of the echoing was concealed behind a large rolling dust cloud. "She's just like us after all."

The cloud diminished and a man with short blonde hair appeared, striding toward Vash and Rem with his head held high. The resemblance between the two men could have made them twins.

"Hello Vash." Knives said with an evil grin. Vash glared for only an instant, his concentration broken from his daughter's distress.

"Dad!" Rem exclaimed, fear overcoming her voice. "Stop this!" Her arm was now shining more brightly.

Vash looked frantically at his options. He whipped his head back and forth, desperately trying to decide between his menace of a brother and his only child. He then closed his eyes and soon came to a snap decision.

"Rem," Vash began calmly, whispering in her ear. "Don't worry anymore. You are stronger. Have faith." He smiled and rose from his knees, leaving her with a glistening tear on her cheek.

The legendary outlaw drew his gun slowly, extending his arm toward his brother.

"Kni…!" Vash started to yell, but his words were lost as his arm was pinned behind his back by an invisible force. He looked back angrily and saw a blue haired man with slit yellow eyes. It was none other than Legato.

Vash had seen Knives' servant earlier in the donut shop, but couldn't quite figure out why the he had seemed so…familiar. He knew then, and sent a fierce, hate-filled look at the man.

Legato smiled with a sick joy as he forced Vash to his knees with an outstretched hand. The gunman's face scraped the dirt as a blood collected on his lip.

"I can make her do it you know." Knives whispered. He may have been speaking softly, but his voice seemed to project across the desert town nevertheless. His tone jarred the foundation of the earth and crumbled the surrounding buildings. The people inside them shuddered, peeking out the windows curiously. There were people of all types, young and old, but they all had one thing in common: they were all in danger.

"No!" Vash pleaded, noticing the citizens in jeopardy. "You can't! You'll kill all these people!" Knives eyes twitched with madness. Vash glanced back to Rem briefly, as he was held against his will. He knew then what Knives had planned to do. "She doesn't need to be condemned to the same fate as me!"

Rem gazed about, her face bled with confusion. Her mouth hung open uselessly, but was soon filled with another ear-piercing scream as her arm unwillingly aimed the black revolver at the nearest building. The people within ran, shrieking with terror.

Knives ignored his twin's desperate request, and began to focus all of his power on his niece. Rem could feel a dark, eager voice invade her thoughts. _Use it. Destroy them. Kill them. Let it all flow. Use it now! _The words echoed, pounding the actions to instincts in her brain.

"Tell her Vash!" Knives shouted suddenly. "Tell her about you…and me. Tell her everything about what we are what we've done." Vash closed his eyes, refusing to look into his daughter's perplexed face. He was still shoved in the dirt, but could clearly see her otherwise. He took a large gulp, as his brother tapped his foot impatiently. "Will you tell her, or not?" Knives yelled, causing a squeal of pain from Rem for emphasis.

"Yes." Vash murmured weakly, lowering his head in a defeated manner.

"I can't hear you!"

"Yes, I said I will!" A tear rolled down the side of Vash's face. _I'd have to tell her eventually anyway…_ He reopened his eyes as they glistened with fresh tears. He gazed into her violet eyes strongly. "Rem." Vash began slowly. "Please know that everything I'm about to say is absolute truth and I love you very much." He took a deep breath, seeing Knives grin from the corner of his eye. "We, that are me Knives, and partially you, are all plants."

Rem shook her head slowly with disbelief.

"It can't be…" She couldn't even imagine that it was possible. Definitely not for her anyway. She couldn't be…it wasn't true!

"Both me and my brother were born around 170 years ago on a ship in space." Vash continued, ignoring his daughter's rising panic. "There was a woman on that ship that raised the two of us named Rem Saverem. We loved her as our mother, but one day, the ships' course were altered," Vash shot a nasty glare at Knives "and the ships that were carrying the seeds of the new world began to crash to Gunsmoke's desert wasteland." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "Rem died redirecting the ships, and saved all of humanity." Vash fell silent and stared numbly at the dirt.

"What about Mom?" Rem asked softly. Her eyes were wide in slight shock, absorbing all of the new information.

"She was pure human. A beautiful one at that…and I loved her…"

"And with her you…you created this abomination!" Knives yelled, his anger flaring to dangerously high levels. He pointed a bony finger at Rem accusingly. "You tainted our perfect race!" He turned, shouting at his brother. "We alone are the most powerful beings in the universe, and you made _this_!"

"No Knives!" Vash shot back, anger pouring into his words. He struggled to his knees, breaking Legato's hold. "_You _are the abomination! You are the monster!"

Vash shakily reached for his gun, fighting Legato's control every second. He pulled it before him and aimed at Knives. The revolver began to pulse strongly in his grip.

"I know how to use it. Release her now if you want to live." He threatened in deep tones. He cocked the hammer as his finger quivered with anticipation on the trigger.

Knives shook his head with a sad chuckle, disappointed.

"Still pointing that clumsy thing at me, eh?"

Vash didn't hesitate. He fired a single glowing bullet at his prideful blonde sibling.

Knives shrieked and clutched his left arm…or at least what was left of it. Vash had severed knives left arm above the elbow. It was a clean slice all the way through the bone. Blood trailed across the ground to his partial limb and dripped between the man's fingers. Knives eyes were wide in shock.

"Yes Knives, I am, but this time, I can aim." Vash said with a soft smirk. "Now we're even."

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The end of this part, "This time I can aim" thing comes from one of the later mangas when Knives comes back to save little Vash that is chained to a stone in a town. Knives basically kills everyone and Vash hates him for it, so he aims a pistol at Knives as his brother turns away. He shoots and only nicks his shoulder. Knives replies with "If your gonna shoot, learn how to aim!" and he shoots Vash's left arm off. A bit different from the anime's version, but I thought I might add that little synopsis in there to help my story make more sense.

Thanks again for the reviews, and the next chapter will be up soon!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Rem sat, completely mortified. She had just seen her own uncle's limb severed before her eyes. In top of that, her dad had done it!

She still did not understand everything that Vash had previously said to her, but somewhere deep inside, she believed it all. She could almost feel the untapped power just waiting to be released. The dark voices were forcing her to feel it…forcing her to believe…

Then those many urgent voices invading her mind suddenly stopped. The invisible bonds that held her captive had diminished entirely. Now she was in control.

Rem struggled from her knees, suppressing this inhuman power. On her arm the feathers began to shrink and disappear as the glow that accompanied it faded. She stood, dangerously close to toppling over, and walked toward Vash.

"Don't kill him." The young girl whispered into his ear, wrapping her arms around from his backside.

Vash's heart softened in an instant and his anger began to melt away at her tender words. He would never kill to begin with, but his daughter's gentle plead was enough to tear his heart out.

A sparkling teardrop formed and dripped down the gunman's cheek as he lowered his gun.

Rem's arm twisted unnaturally in a sudden movement, causing her to release her grip on the black revolver. It skidded across the dirt, inches from Knives' feet. Legato had taken control of Rem, and had succeeded in passing the deadly weapon to his master.

Knives quickly picked it up with his uninjured arm, immediately calling up his entire angel arm in a matter of seconds. He laughed with insanity, pointing his weapon at Vash and Rem. He shot a concentrated beam at the two, and Vash jumped into action.

The blonde man on the receiving end of Knives' fire raised his own gun, while throwing his body in front of Rem protectively. He shot a single bullet, opposite from his brother's, hopefully canceling out any damage.

A large, blinding glow paralyzed them all.

Rem squinted against the light and slowly opened her eyes. The glow was now gone, revealing a tragic site.

May city was completely destroyed. Buildings were reduced to ash and rubble; not a single civilian survived. A red sky swirled overhead, choked with black smoke. It was now a desolate wasteland. The only man left standing was once again Vash the Stampede.

Vash faced the destruction head on. Rem stood behind and was able to see him faintly quake all over. He then suddenly dropped to his knees and laid his palms flat against the charred ground before him. Tears streamed down his face, as his eyes absorbed the next July.

Knives and Legato were nowhere to be seen amongst the destruction, most likely dead.

"Dad?" Rem called quietly, slowly walking up behind him. She placed a tentative hand on his shoulder and sighed. She felt him jump slightly under her touch.

"I'd almost forgotten you were there…it's just so much like then…" Vash tried to inhale a deep breath, but just barely managed a shuddering attempt. He slowly rose to his feet, his back still facing Rem. "You wanted to know what happened to July?" Vash said softly and gestured with open arms all around. "Just look. That same man, my brother Knives, made me do _this _to July." He hesitantly turned around and faced his child with sad blue eyes.

Neither smiled as they stared at each other, letting their surroundings sink in. Rem began to cry, but Vash quickly brushed away her tears. He brought her close with a tight hug just as the suns began to fade on the horizon. He then whispered two soft, gentle words.

"Happy Birthday…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Attention all of Gunsmoke! There is a new threat to humanity! This is the second localized disaster!" The radio broadcaster blared the news with few traces of static hindering his voice. "She was seen leaving the rubble of May City, which could very well be named the next July, with none other than Vash the Stampede! This woman is just as dangerous as the Humanoid Typhoon himself! Not only that, but there have been reports of her being his fiendish daughter! Be on the lookout for this blonde beauty, with a reward of 60,000,000,000 double dollars for her capture! Oh, and one last thing has been released on this investigation." The sound of shuffling papers came over the airwaves. "Her name is Rem the Stampede!"

Vash leaned back in his chair, lacing his fingers behind his head. The chair creaked, along with everything else inside this dusty, worn-down saloon.

"Congratulations. I guess you're wanted." he commented with a slight grin, whistling softly. Rem stared at the radio on the counter strangely, and raised an inquiring eyebrow at her father.

"Yep, and I'm just as dangerous as you it seems." she replied, a smirk spreading across her face.

"We'll just be on the run together now…the two Stampedes." She smiled widely at his remark.

"Wouldn't want it any other way." Rem lifted another donut to her lips, licking the sugar from her fingertips.

The End

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Yeah! Tis the end at long last! Thank you all for hanging with me to read it all! I hope you enjoyed it! I also hope I didn't mess anything up too bad. ;

Anyway, leave me a review! Thanks for everything!


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